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"Excellent low light level camera"
on by NuovoCretinoPros Very good pictures in low light.
Accepts SDHC class 4 or better memory cards in addition to memory stick.
Lens performance rivals that of larger lenses.
HD video in the palm of your hand.Cons Pricey.
High dynamic range mode does not work as well as it could have.
Zoom is a little touchy, but it works even while shooting video.
No histogram function to assess exposure.
No audio record notes function.Summary The picture quality is excellent compared to other similar sized cameras, though it does not rival a DSLR. Significant processing is apparent in noise reduction at higher ISO sensitivities, but it seems to be very well implemented and produces some of the best results that I have seen. Add to that the handheld twilight mode, and you have a winner. In this mode, the camera takes 6 separate exposures and stitches them together to reduce camera shake in select the best details from all of the frames. It seems to work reliably.
The tiny size of this camera means you will never hesitate to bring it along and you will always be ready to take a good picture. Like many point and shoot cameras, Sony has gone a long way to try to automate everything in the picture taking process so all you have to do is compose the frame and shoot. And the camera's excellent performance in all lighting conditions assures that in most situations you will come away with very good pictures or gorgeous video.
However, if you want to adjust the exposure or bracket your exposure, things get more complicated. You can adjust the EV up or down by a couple of stops, but with no histogram to guide you, you are guessing. There is no provision to bracket your exposure by taken several shots at different exposures. The camera automates everything so that you have almost no direct control over aperture or "shutter speed."
That said, I don't think I took a really bad picture, except when in the HDR (backlight correction) mode, and I was forcing it to set the exposure for the shaded portion of the frame. The sunlit portion was washed out as usual, but I had expected the camera to fix that. It did not. Its correction capabilities are pretty limited and I would not consider it to be of much value in most situations.
The overall size is almost identical to a 5th generation iPod, and the lens does not protrude from the body in use. This is a very nice feature. However, be aware that the lens and the flash are located near the top of the camera body, so it takes a little practice to keep your fingers out of the flash or out of the frame.
The sliding panel on the front can be a little difficult to operate. I eventually learned to use the Sony logo as a grip to give me the extra traction needed to operate that panel.
The camera has an usually wide angle lens and there is a panorama mode that is the easiest to use I have ever tried. All you have to do is pan the camera around about 160 degrees and the camera decides when to take the exposures and stitches them together in the camera. It worked amazingly well for me, but some people had problems panning without jerking too much.
The bottom line is the quality of the pictures that you bring home at the end of the day. In this, I can say that I have not seen another point and shoot camera do better. If I were off to a party or a day trip, this would be my first choice. But I would still grab a larger bridge camera or DSLR for portraits or pictures of the inside of houses or wedding shots or anywhere else that I might want to bounce a flash or bracket my exposure. -
"The more I use this camera, the more in love I fall!"
on by mholzworthPros Excellent low light picture quality
Transfer Jet compatible so you can share pics wirelessly with another transfer jet camera
HD video
Excellent lens performance
Zoom doesn't require finger gymnastics to use it while looking through the viewerCons A bit on the expensive side
Summary I would have written more on the PRO's of this camera, but i ran out of room...
This camera has a 3.5" touch screen with so many modes it is fantastic. They have a pet mode, gourmet mode, twilight mode, panoramic mode and so on and so on and so on!
The motion picture taking is fricking phenomenal! I had my hand about 6 inches away from the camera and I rapidly waved my hand back and forth and took 8 picstures and every single one was crystal clear with no bluring!
The camera is slim, powerful and is a speedy picture taker, no more of that 3-5 second lag time I had with an older cybershot model. I cannot say enough good things about this camera! -
"Best camera I've ever had."
on by ermaho2Pros Crystal clear, accuarte colors, true point and shoot. No need to even look at the manual.
Cons I can't think of anything
Summary I've tried several of the new "hot" p&s cameras. This is the great one. Started shooting immediately without even glancing at the manual. No need to do it. Touch screen works perfectly and is actually self explanatory. The colors are vibrant and accurate. The auto mode is perfect for almost all shooting situations. The HD video is on par with most HD video cameras available. True high def. Sound quality is excellent. There's so many features I don't have room to even mention them. Very comfortable to hold, despite the small size of the camera, even though the screen is 3.5 inches which is the entire back of the canera. I honestly can't think of anything negative to say. Thanks Sony for providing me the camera I've been waiting for.
I forgot to mention the one and only negative: battery life. If you get this camera and love it as I do, make sure you pick up at least one extra battery. Also shooting with a class 10 SDHC card is advisable.
Updated on May 17, 2010
Updated on Jun 1, 2010Yesterday I had the chance to really put this baby to work. I was at a Memorial Day Pool party and took dozens of pictures, in Sunlight and shade. All looking terrific. There were some pictures that I wanted to severely crop...small section of the photo. The cropped section came out just as crystal clear as the original. All I can say is WOW. -
"Great Cam, Videos are better than Video cam"
on by ApintorPros i've used it in low a few time and it works great!, I don't think i'll use the flash, just because the colors look so much nice and natural w/o the flash. The video is great clean and crisp. The size of the camera is a BIG plus.
Cons battery life, TX-7 is poor if you taking a lot video, its not to bad if your taking pic.Touch screen is slow, I use an iphone and moving over to this is a pain. Feels like you have to push down hard on the screen to get it to move.
Summary A great camera , I would buy again if i had to do it all over again. A must have if you want a small power full camera.
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"TX7 is not what you think it is."
on by ElizabethUnderwoodPros Size, weight, and the camera can snap pictures quickly.
Cons No viewfinder and most folks want to take pictures outside. Trust me, you can't see a thing and you end up just pointing and shooting and hoping that you photographed your target. Also, the camera doesn't do well in low light even though the "experts" ca
Summary The Sony TX-7 sounds good on paper, however the camera is lacking in so many important areas. After one year of owning the TX-7, I'm currently looking to buy another camera. Which is a real bummer.
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